During our recent holiday in  Puerto, Rico, we dined at Carli’s Cafe in Old San Juan. Carli Munoz, the cafe owner, was the keyboardist for the Beachboys from 1970-1980. He’s been a jazz pianist ever since. We had met Carli several years ago and I had photographed him them. See this link: https://www.flickr.com/ph…/larrygol/albums/72157640946553224

Visiting with Carli before he  went on, we told him we had started a musical trio and Carole was the vocalist. After we enjoyed the first set of his wonderful, lush piano playing, during a break, Carole was invited to come up and sing our French-English version of “Autumn Leaves.”  It was a thrill for Carole and the audience loved her.

Here are some photos from that evening:

We had a group of French speaking and Francophile neighbors visit us for an open rehearsal over the holidays where we played a mix of songs — from covers of Edith Piaf to contemporary French pop from France and Canada to one of our favorites, Fats Domino’s “Hello Josephine” with Carole’s French lyrics. We also played several original tunes written by our guitarist, Duane.

We’re available to perform at parties, house concerts, art exhibits, book signings, cafés, French-inspired events and the like.

[Photos courtesy our guests]

We’ve been recording some of our tunes and our rendition of Yannick Noah’s “Mon Dernier Amour” forms the musical basis for this promo video just released. Have a listen at this link: Presenting “French Coast Café.”.

We’ve performed now at two recent events: a musical housewarming party in Bethesda, where we were one of  a number of acts,  and another house party in Savage, Maryland where we were one of three featured bands.

Coming up, we’re looking forward to new gigs and will be going for open mike sessions at local clubs, and hopefully, getting invited  as a featured act at a local club or two.

Stay tuned.

French Coast Café performed at a recent party in Lake Barcroft at a beautiful lakeside home. The weather was gorgeous, as it has been this past week, and the group played songs from Edith Piaf, Pink Martini, Canadian songstress Arianne Moffat (“Je Veux Tout“) and other tunes in their French café style. Looking forward to our next gig.

Welcome to French Coast Café, a Northern Virginia-based French world music band. We are Carole Bausell on vocals, percussion and guitar, Duane Siler on guitar and Larry Golfer on electric bass. The group’s niche is both classic and contemporary mostly French music from France as well as French-speaking Canada and other Francophone countries.  The music includes French classics, samba, jazz. gypsy jazz, blues, Cajun/Zydeco and world music

Friend and fellow musician Duane Siler, an accomplished guitarist and member of the “Improbables” and the “Carter Farm Band,” joined the group to add his rich fingerstyle guitar playing to the complete the sound the group was looking for. Duane is a long-time aficionado of Brazilian music and “manouche” (gypsy) jazz. 

Often joined by other musicians, French Coast Café held its first public performance with guest artist David Nagel on harmonica, as one of many bands featured at a Louisiana-style “Fais Do Do” (pronounced “fay doe-doe”) dance party in Columbia, Maryland in May. Soon thereafter, the group performed at a book signing reception at the National Press Club for Connie Lawn, senior White House Correspondent, who was releasing her updated autobiography, You Wake Me Each Morning. See them in a photo with Connie in the Georgetowner newspaper.

The group intends to release sample recordings soon and continues to seek gigs in the DC area.

For inquiries or bookings, contact Larry at frenchcoastcafe@gmail.com